Australian Politics and Elections Archive 1856-2018
The University of Western Australia

State Government of Western Australia beginning 14 February 1901 - period in office of Premier Throssell, George ending on 27 May 1901

Period in office of premier (see Glossary entry for 'period in office' and related terms)

Parliamentary support during period

Number of ministers at beginning of period (this may vary during the period)

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Notes

Resignation of premier (Forrest): Beginning of Throssell's period in office: In October 1990, ' ... whilst introducing his last Budget, Forrest announced that he would be leaving Parliament at the end of the session', de Garis, p. 78 (see 'References', below). His intention was to seek election to the new Commonwealth Parliament. Reid and Oliver state that Forrest 'Resigned 14 February 1901, having been sworn in as a member of first Federal Cabinet 1 January 1901', Reid and Oliver, Appendix C, p. 112 (see 'Sources', below).

'On 11 February a meeting of ministerial supporters agreed that George Throssell, apparently Forrest's choice, should succeed him, but it was a dubious inheritance as the ministerialists were disunited and facing an election for which they were ill prepared', de Garis, p. 82 (see 'References', below).

Loss of general election: 'The Throssell ministry lost its majority at the April 1901 election in which two Ministers were defeated. At the first meeting on 17 May of Government supporters only sixteen members attended, and Throssell resigned ...', Hughes and Graham, p. 224, (see 'Sources', below).

Ministerialists: During the 1890s, factional politics began to give way to political groupings and electoral organizations which foreshadowed the emergence of modern political parties. But these groupings were still fluid. The term ministerialists is often applied to groupings which, for a variety of reasons, supported a particular government. Hughes and Graham (p. 224, see 'Sources', below) label the Throssell ministry as 'Conservative', but the term reflects the predisposition of the Premier and his supporting group rather than a party organization.

For the emergence of political parties in Western Australia, see Brian de Garis, 'Western Australia', in P Loveday, A W Martin and R S Parker (editors), The Emergence of the Australian Party System, pp 298-354 (Sydney: Hale & Iremonger, 1977, ISBN 0908094035).

References: For a study of the style of parliamentary politics at the time, see Brian de Garis, 'Self-Government and the Emergence of Political Parties, 1890-1911', in David Black (editor), The House on the Hill: A History of the Parliament of Western Australia 1832-1990, pp 63-95, (Perth: Western Australian Parliamentary History Project, Parliament of Western Australia, 1991, ISBN 0730939839), and note C T Stannage, 'The Composition of the Western Australian Parliament 1890-1911', University Studies in History, 4 (3), 1965: 85-94.

Summary information on Western Australian premiers from 1890 to 1982 and a short essay, 'The Premiers -- An Introductory Comment', can be found in Reid and Oliver (see 'Sources', below).

For a survey of Throssell's career, see Donald S. Garden, 'Throssell, George (1840 - 1910)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12, p. 223, (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1990), on line at:
http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120246b.htm?hilite=Throssell

Sources

Colin A Hughes and B D Graham, A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1890-1964, (Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1968, SBN 708102700); John Mandy and David Black (editors),The Western Australian Parliamentary Handbook Centenary Edition, (Perth: Parliamentary History Project, Parliament of Western Australia, 1990, ISBN 0731697847); G S Reid and M R Oliver, The Premiers of Western Australia 1890-1982, (Perth: University of Western Australia Press, 1982, ISBN 0855642149).